Merry-go-round



1954 K. E. ELLENBERGE'R 2,693,958

MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Sept. 1, 1951 2 Sheet's-Sheet l INVENTOR. J fienberzer 1954 K. E. ELLENBERGER MERRY-GO-ROUND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1 1951 Ju -MAIN 5O INVENTOR.

A. E ZV/enber VQ +-P Z United States Patent MERRY-GO-ROUND Kenneth E. Ellenberger, Concrete, Wash., assignor of one-half to Frank Walton, Concrete, Wash.

Application September 1, 1951, Serial No. 244,780

2 Claims. Cl. 272-33 7 This invention relates to childrens amusement apparatus in the nature of a merry-go-round and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Ser. No. 76,317, filed February 14, 1949. The merry-go-round is arranged so that the turning of a crank by one of the riders elfectuates rotation of the machine with very little exertion of energy.

The invention aims to devise such an apparatus of rugged construction the parts of which may be readily assembled or disassembled to permit the same to be easily moved from one site to another or compactly stored.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a structure which, when assembled, does not present any sharp corners, edges, projections, or the like, which might cause injuries.

Other more particular objects and advantages will, together with these general objects, appear and be understood in the course of the following description and claims, the invention consisting in the novel construction and inthe adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a merry-goround apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 4--4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 6-6 and 7--7, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Generally considered, the machine comprises a stationary and a movable framework, and by the present invention both of these may be readily disassembled to a knock-down condition occupying a relatively small space. The structure of the stationary framework will be described first for purposes of clarity in an understanding of the invention.

With reference being had particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that there is provided a metal mounting base 10 of generally square configuration from the corners of which a severalty of spider arms 11 radiate. These arms may be wooden and at their inner-end limits they present horizontal slots receiving the respective corners of the base plate to establish an interlock therewith. Pairs of bolts 12 serve to detachably hold the arms and base plate together and the heads of the bolts are countersunk in the underside of the arms as shown in Fig. 3 so that the arms will rest flat on the ground.

A standard 13 is welded or otherwise suitably integrated with the base plate to occupy an upstanding position central thereto. Spaced somewhat above the base plate 10 and disposed to occupy a position in concentric surrounding relation to the standard is a stationary pulley wheel 17 sustained as by welding to the standard. The internal diameter of this pulley wheel is considerably larger than the external diameter of the standard. A thimble-bearing 18 set into the hollow upper end of the standard completes the stationary framework.

Continuing to the movable framework, and referring particularly to Fig. 3, it is seen that a sleeve 20 having an internal diameter somewhat larger than the outer diameter of the standard is received about the latter. Made an integral part of this sleeve is a surmounting headplate 21 having a centrally placed pendant foot 22 pre- 2,693,958 Patented Nov. 9, 1954 senting a concave socket at its lower end. This foot is stepped within the socket of the thimble-bearing 18 and establishes an antifriction journal by seating upon a ball 23. A bushing 24 introduced between the lower end of the sleeve and the standard provides a journal complement to this upper step bearing. An annular foot-plate 25 is integrated with the sleeve and its inner periphery serves as. a stop to limit possible downward travel of the bushing.

The sleeve and its head and foot plates constitute the hub of a wheel-like structure serving as the movable framework, and extending radially therefrom are a plurality of equidistantly spaced arms. Indicated as being four in number, these arms are formed from metal rod or tubing and are angular in shape, elevationally con-' sidered, to present two connecting branches 26 and 27. The upper of these branches occupies a substantially horizontal plane and each has its end extremity socketed in a short pipe section 28 welded to the underside of the headplate 21. These socketed ends are held in place against endwise movement as by cotter-pins 30 inserted through registering drill-holes in the branch ends.

The lower branches 27 of the arms slope downwardly ,as struts and have their lower end portions bent into parallelism with the upper branches 26. The foot-plate 25 presents on its upper face pipe sections 31 complementing the upper pipe sections 28. Received in these are the end portions of the branches 27, the actual end ex-, tremities abutting the outside of the sleeve 20. Locking means such as cotter-pins are not necessary for holding the struts in the pipes 31 because the weight of the riders exerts an end thrust acting to seat the struts. Each horizontal branch 26 supports a seat 29 adjacent the other end thereof, and as complements to these seats there are provided hand-hold and foot-rest members 34 and 35. Both of the latter are triangular in shape and are formed by bending a relatively short length of metal rod or tubing stock so that the free ends converge at a point spaced from the center section thereof. These ends, in the case of a hand-hold member 34, are welded to the respective horizontal branch 26 at a point spaced inwardly of the seat so that the plane of the member is vertical. By this arrangement the center section of the hand-hold member is elevated relative to the respective seat as well as being spaced inwardlv therefrom and hence serves as a very satisfactory hand-hold.

In the case of a foot-rest member 35 the triangularly bent stock is placed with its center section horizontal and resting against the upper side of the respective strut 27 and with is cenverging ends pointed toward the standard 13 and resting against the underside of the strut. The member is welded to the strut in this position, the horizontal center section then serving as the actual footrest.

Of particular importance is the fact that by the abovedescribed arrangement the hand-holds and foot-rests are provided without causing any sharp corners, edges, projections or the like which might cause injuries.

Proceeding now to the drive for the machine, there is provided a power-input shaft 36 journal-mounted in upper and lower bearings 37 and 38 for rotation about a vertical axis laterally removed from the standard 13. The upper end of this shaft is bent to provide a crank receiving a handle-grip 40 rotatably sleeved thereon and at a point below this crank the shaft presents a collar 41 seating on the upper bearing 37 to limit downward endwise movement of the shaft. To support the bearing 37 there is provided a bracket 42 secured to one of the horizontal branches 26 and a slotted flange 44 integrated with the bearing and held to the bracket as by a nutted screw 45 received through the slot in the flange and a mating screw hole in the bracket.

The lower bearing 38 is the arm of a T-pipe whose leg 46 is internally threaded to receive the outer end of an externally threaded horizontal pipe section 47 anchored at its inner end to the lower end of the respective strut 27.

Received at the lower end of the drive shaft is a pulley wheel 48 disposed in the horizontal plane occupied by the stationary pulley wheel 17. The couple between the shaft and its pulley wheel is elfected by a set-screw 50.

It will now appear that the two bearings 37 and 38 can be shifted radially of the standard to take up any slack in a power-transfer belt 51 passing about the two pulley wheels. This is accomplished by removing the pulley wheel 48 from the shaft after loosening the set-screw G and then lifting the shaft from the lower bearing 38 so that the T-pipe can be turned on the anchored pipe section 47 after the lock-nut 49 has been loosened. The upper bearing is shifted merely by loosening the screw 45 and shifting the flange 44 and its slot relative to the screw.

it is thought that the manner of disassembly of the machine by merely removing the bolts 12 and cotterpins 3% and loosening the set-screw 50 should now appear obvious, and that the construction, operation, utility, and advantages of the invention should be clear from the foregoing description. Structural changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadest interpretation to which the employed language admits.

What I claim is:

1. A merry-go-round comprising, a tubular standard, a thimble bearing fixed within the hollow center of the standard at the upper end of the latter and receiving therein a free-turning ball, a tubular sleeve having freefitting engagement upon the standard and carrying a surmounting plate arranged to occupy a position elevated above the upper-end limit of the standard and a foot plate adjacent the lower end thereof, a depending stem made rigid with the surmounting plate and stepped upon the ball within the socket of the thimble bearing, a bushing operating as the journal complement of the thimble hearing and received between the standard and the sleeve near the lower end of the latter, equally spaced arms radiating from the tubular sleeve, said arms each being composed of a single length of metal tubing bent to an acute angular shape with one branch occupying a horizontal plane and detachably connected by its free end to the surmounting plate and the other branch occupying a sloping plane and being detachably connected to the foot plate, seats each carried near the outer end of the horizontal branch of a respective arm, each of the said horizontal and sloping branchesof the arms carrying handhold and foot-rest members presenting transversely extending horizontal bars serving as hand grips and foot rests, respectively, the seat and hand-hold and foot-rest members being free of any physical connection with those of any of the other arms, the detachable connections between the arms and the surmounting and foot plates including elongated sockets presented by said plates for receiving the ends of the arms, a releasable pin for retaining the horizontal branches of the arms in their sockets and the ends of the sloping branches of the arms being retained in their sockets and engaged with the lower end of the sleeve by the weight of the arms and the riders.

2. A merry-go-round as in claim 1, wherein a vertical crank shaft is supported adjacent its upper end on one of said horizontal arms and adjustable longitudinally of said arm, an adjustable support for the lower end of the crank shaft including a T-pipe having the leg thereof horizontally disposed, internally threaded and directed towards said standard, a horizontal pipe section having one end anchored to an adjacent inclined arm section and its other end threaded for mounting in the threaded leg of the T-pipe, pulleys carried by the lower ends of the crank shaft and tubular standard and a belt traversing said pulleys.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,826,468 Hoppes Oct. 6, 1931 1,925,324 Humphrey Sept. 5, 1933 2,433,735 Buczkowski Dec. 30, 1947 2,516,049 Evans July 18, 1950 2.527,763 Probst Oct. 31, 1950 

